Hate
by EikoChitose
Summary: Roxas hates Sora. Hates him so much, after everything that's happened. He regrets his decision of returning to Sora, and he lets his Other know that... but when they connect one night, will things change? Post-KH2 Soroku, rated for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Well, this is a _little_bit different from my other fic. Like, by a lot. I mean, it's REALLY different. I feel bad, because I kinda bullied Sora, and I love him so much! I am aware that there are others kind of like this, but I don't know if they end the same way.

P.S: **Akuzexu-Akuno-Zemyx-yum**, you stay far, _far_ away from this, I'm warning you! It's not for you!

Pairings: Eventual Soroku

Warnings: Yaoi, some Sora-bullying, language... Well, yeah.

Disclaimer: Heck no, techno, I don't own anything!

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Sora could feel it, all the time. The sheer hatred that was lodged deep inside his heart -- and didn't completely belong to him. No, it belonged to someone else. But he felt it ALL. THE. TIME. And the loathing feeling was hurting him. Because it affected him, too. Made him hate his parents, his friends. Kairi. Riku. But above all, it made him hate himself.

_Stop,_ he would beg internally, at times when it became too much. _Please, stop._But that just flared a new spike of hatred, and it took all Sora had to keep down his lunch.

Currently, he is in the bathroom, gripping the edge of the sink. But he's too afraid to look up, into the mirror -- too afraid of what he will see.

And then he does. He raises his head and looks at himself, and feels pure disgust for the image of the brunette looking back at him. He's been sleeping poorly the last few weeks since he's gotten back, and it's showing. The dark circles under his eyes are highlighted by his sickly pale skin, and his ocean blue eyes look so sad. Slowly, the image in the mirror morphs, and a new boy, his twin-yet-not stares back at him. His honey-blonde hair sticks up similarly to Sora's, framing a thin, pale face. But unlike Sora, who's eyes are empty, in helplessness and surrender, this boy's eyes blaze with sheer hatred, his mouth an angry slash across his face.

Sora blinks, and the image fades, all except the eyes, identical to his, glaring at him. "Please," he whispers, voice strained. "Please --"

But his insides twist and he can _feel_the hate in the air, and Sora sinks to the floor, doubling over the toilet and vomiting.

"Please," he sobs when he comes up.

Vomit.

"Please."

And then he speaks the name. For the first time out loud, but not in his dreams -- he always looks for him in his dreams, but he is never there. He cries for him during nightmares, which plague him every night, but he is ignored.

"_Roxas_."

The response is awful. His heart clenches, filling his chest with pain, and making him choke on a sob. His insides burn with the hatred that doesn't belong to him.

"Please!" he cries, hugging the toilet bowel, not caring much for the sanitary properties of the thing. "Please, Roxas! Please stop!"

Vomit.

"Roxas!"  
Vomit.

"ROXAS!"

And then it all stops, as Sora's voice cracks. The urge to puke subsides a little. He sobs loudly. "I c-can't take it anymore, Roxas! I... Please!" The fire does not dissipate, but it does not flare up again immediately, either. So Sora takes the time he is given to cry, as loud as he can, curling into a fetal position on the bathroom floor, wishing he could disappear.

"I'll do anything," he whispers desperately. "Please, Roxas, I'll do anything, just _please_ stop. I'll do anything. I can't take this... this hate. The darkness is going to... to kill _us_, Roxas. I'll do anything." Those words become his desperate mantra: "I'll do anything."

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Yeah, I feel kinda bad... It wasn't very nice. Er, I hope you enjoyed it...? If that's even possible, considering... Yeah, more to come, I suppose. See ya soon!


	2. Chapter 2

Well, here ya go! Quick update to anyone paying attention. Now Roxas gets picked on! Though not nearly as bad as Sora... No, not at all.

Standard warnings apply. Small order of side pairings, pay no attention.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, blah blah blah...

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Roxas can hear him, and he doesn't care. Doesn't care one bit for the boy who is keeping him imprisoned inside. He wants OUT. He wants freedom and he will do anything to get it.

_Except..._ a quiet part of him whispers, a part he doesn't want to hear, because it had nothing to do with hate -- quite the opposite -- and it's annoying, and makes his head spin, his heart ache. _Except kill Sora._

He shrugs that part away. Because that part of him _cares_. That part of him, in its own sick, twisted way, loves Sora, and so, that part of himself, he also hates.

Because Roxas hates Sora. Hates him so _fucking_ much.

_"Please..."_Sora begs, sobbing. He sounds like a crazy person, Roxas muses. He's speaking to himself. How ridiculous.

"Please" won't get him anywhere. Not with Roxas. But then there's that little part of him, rising up again, and Roxas tries hard to beat it back.

And then Sora's voice cracks, and Roxas flinches. He can't help it. It just happens. And the undeniable guilt settles in his stomach, and he can't even find the energy to bring up more hate. Sora has a way of making him FEEL. A way that hurts Roxas but also makes him whole. Happy. And he hates it.

_"I'll do anything.... kill us.... anything..."_Sora is crying harder and harder, nearly breaking himself in two, and the sound hurts Roxas's ears. He wants him to stop. He needs Sora to stop.

Times like these bring back the thoughts that Roxas has to shake away for fear of losing his hatred. Because he knows it's wrong.

Demyx always taught him that it was wrong to hate. And he'd loved Demyx -- who cares if they didn't have hearts. He'd been family. But then Zexion had died, and Demyx had broken, and just gone... _insane_wasn't the right word, but... he just wasn't the same. He put up a good front, but the pain in his expression was always there. But Demyx had still loved. He still loved Roxas, and Axel, and... Well, anyone who gave him the time of day. But most of all, he loved Zexion. And he clung to his memory. But that was what the reasonable part of Roxas's brain was trying to get at; Axel had been the reason Zexion was dead, and yet -- And yet, when Demyx should've hated him, he still loved, clinging to Axel and crying when he should not have been able to. There were times, Roxas knew, when Demyx resented Axel, when he yelled and beat the skinny redhead to the best of him ability, against his better nature, in anguish for the loss of his (something akin to, at least) love -- but Demyx never hated.

Sora did not kill his beloved. He has taken away many things, but he's never intentionally... wronged him, and suddenly, Roxas feels overwhelmingly guilty. Guilty because he _promised_Demyx that he'd never be this way. Yet... here he is. Feeding his hatred through Sora's veins, spreading like poison, and slowly killing the boy. Just like Sora said: Roxas's darkness is going to kill them.

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Well, there it was! But that's not all there is to come, I swear! I'm sorry, I love Demyx and Zexion, I just couldn't leave them out.


	3. Chapter 3

Well, here's the third chapter! I'll have to work hard from now on to keep up with updates, since this is most of what I actually have written out. But I'll do my best!

This part's a little nicer, and I feel better about it. I'm updating this early because **SOME PEOPLE** (certain friends who shall not be named) are utterly impatient.

No major warnings, a bit of... fluff? But I don't think that's the right word...

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters... Dammit.

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That night, for the first time, Roxas enters Sora's dreams. Usually he watches from the sides, not willing to be a part of it, but bored because what the hell else is there to do?

As usual, it does not take long before Sora's dream -- a lovely sunset, a beach, with his friends -- morphs into a horrific nightmare, the sky darkening and ripping open as Sora's friends disappear, and Sora cries out, trying to huddle into a ball and disappear. Because for all Sora is, for all that he does, fighting Heartless and sacrificing himself and generally being a hero, he is still scared. So very, terribly scared.

Roxas has seen this beast before, the Darkside -- it often plagues Sora -- so he sets across the beach, headed for it. It is so easy to summon Oathkeeper and Oblivion, so _easy_to slice through the monster; all Roxas has to do is believe, firmly, that the creature is weak, and it bends to his will, disappearing with a shriek.

Roxas disappears his keyblades and turns to Sora, still in a ball, unwilling to fight. He's always, always fighting, and he's tired -- Roxas knows.

The blonde doesn't touch him, but whisks them away from the terrible place, to a warm summer day on the far side of the island, near the Cove.

Sensing the shift immediately, Sora uncurls himself, sitting up and blinking -- and his eyes widen. His mouth falls open and he squeaks. "Roxas?" he whispers in disbelief.

Roxas doesn't answer, just shifts uncomfortably.

And then Sora does something surprising, alarming, and unpredictable: he starts to cry.

Roxas doesn't know what to do. Part of him is still... _revolted_by Sora, still bubbling with hate, and wants to beat the teen's head in with -- well, anything. But now, a large part of him is feeling quite the opposite, a part of him infested with memories of Demyx, and Axel-- oh God, _Axel_. And suddenly, he realizes. It all just comes flooding back to him. After three weeks of hate and uncomfortable non-existence, Roxas realizes. His friends are all dead. Axel is gone. Demyx is gone. Zexion is gone. Luxord, Marluxia, Xigbar, -- they're all gone. And to his horror, Roxas starts to cry, as well. He sinks down in the sand, still a few feet away from his Somebody, and mourns.

Sora blinks away his own tears when he sees Roxas fall, and he watches him for a moment. "Roxas?" he manages, voice barely a whisper. He's frightened now, maybe even more so than a moment ago.

"They're gone," Roxas sobs. "Everyone is gone!" He's not talking to Sora, not really. Or at least, that's what he's trying to convince himself.

Sora's face softens, though Roxas does not see, and the brunette understands. Slowly, he moves across the sand on his hands and knees, being as quiet as possible, and after a moment's pause, wraps his arms lovingly around the one person who hates him more than anything.

Roxas freezes, feeling his blood go ice cold. But he finds that despite it... to his horror, he can't move. And so he cries more, in frustration.

"Shh," Sora whispers, moving one of his hands to gently card through Roxas's hair. "It's okay, it's okay.... No more crying... No more tears..." But his voice is still wavering, though it is getting stronger, while Roxas's is losing his.

There are so many things that Roxas would like to call Sora at that moment. After all, it is HIS fault that his friends are gone (so he has taken something, after all) but he can't. He's so... _tired_, and Sora is so warm... He is horrified when he buries his face in Sora's neck.

Sora seems surprised too. He had expected Roxas to... he didn't know what. _Kill_him, maybe? But never... never this. Never come closer. And new tears well up -- but these are tears of relief, and he pulls Roxas tighter to him, and tries to keep the tears out of his voice. He sounds groggy and his throat feels clogged when he speaks, but he tries to be as soothing as he can, dropping his voice down so that it sounds a little smoother. "It's going to be okay... You're not alone, Roxas. You're _not_. I'm here... Even if you hate me... I'm here. I won't leave you, baby... So please, stop crying... Stop crying... No more tears... It's gonna be alright..." He whispers in a sing-song voice, the words coming out more like an odd lullaby than anything.

If Roxas were not so comforted, he would be offended and mortified by Sora's use of the word "baby."

As if sensing this, Sora uses it again, thought it is light, and teasing. "I'm here for you, baby... I'm here."

_I'm here._The words pierce Roxas's heart, and he sobs quietly, so completely embarrassed by his behavior.

Sora doesn't seem to mind though, as he gently pets the blonde's soft hair, rubbing his back gently and whispering comforting words to the broken Nobody. "I love you, Roxas."

"I hate you," Roxas sobs, twisting his hands in Sora's shirt.

Sora is not deterred. "I love you," he repeats.

"I _hate_ you."

"I love you."

"I... hate you."

"I love you," Sora whispers firmly, pulling back just enough to kiss Roxas on the forehead before pulling him close again so he doesn't have to see the boy's face. He fears the hatred, and he can't take it.

"I... h-hate you..." Roxas's resolve is fading, and that upsets him.

Sora seems to see this, and does not repeat the phrase, for fear that Roxas may break. He can't stop himself, however, from thinking it. _"I love you, Roxas."_

Roxas growls at him, fingernails digging in like claws.

Sora winces, but bites back an apology. He has nothing to apologize for. He loves Roxas, and that's that.

Roxas lets go, after a minute, and reversing it, Sora sags against him. He's so... done with all this. He's glad Roxas is there, as the boy yelps at the feeling. "I'm... so tired, Roxas," he murmurs into his ear, his words slurred with sleep. But what the hell? He _is_ asleep! "Take care of thing for me for a little while, 'kay?" And he feels his mind slip into a comfortable, warming darkness.

Roxas is not so lucky, as he is left invariably alone, and just a little more miserable than before. Where has Sora gone? Did he wake up? What did he mean "take care of things"? What. The. Hell. "Sora?" he calls weakly, voice hoarse.

_"I'm here,"_a voice whispers in his ear, and Roxas can suddenly _feel_Sora, there, in his heart.

"What the hell?"

_"Just... Just resting for a little while I think. Please, wake me up if anything goes wrong, or you wanna run away. I'll protect you, Roxas, I promised."_

"Right..." Roxas unconsciously presses his hands over his heart.

_"Now, wake up."_

And for the first time in what feels like forever, he shoots up in bed, letting out a gasp.

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Ha! Yes, that's right! That's the end of the chapter! Now you'll have to wait to see what happens next! Oh GOD!!!

Okay, I'm done with that. Hope you enjoyed this. I'm working on the next one as we speak! I'll do my best!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Well, here's another one. Fuck. SOME PEOPLE certainly like to push at me. I mean, I was gonna post periodically, y'know? Just so I'd have time. But no. No, that's not good enough. Baugh, here you go! Spoiled brat.

Well, it certainly is changing quite a lot, quite fast, isn't it? But it just happened.

Disclaimer: Don't own anything, yo.

_"Now, wake up."_

And for the first time in what feels like forever, he shoots up in bed, letting out a gasp. The voice does not belong to him, he notices right away... but to Sora. He raises up a tan, long-fingered hand.

"Oh.."

He's in Sora's body. _In control_ of Sora's body. As he continues to stare, a small chuckle sounds-- also Sora's voice.

"Sora?"

The voice giggles again. _"First time I've heard my own voice call my name. Heh!"_

_"I thought you were tired,"_ he thinks sourly, this time hearing his own voice.

_"Watching is more fun. Besides, I'm feeling better already!"_ He can practically see Sora's grin turn into a shy smile. _"It's nice to know you care, Roxas."_

Grinding his teeth. "I don't," he grunts bitterly. He stands up, looking over at the clock. "It's six thirty," he intones.

_"Augh!"_ Sora yells, and seems to accidentally take back control for a moment, his arms flailing above his head and tearing at his hair. _"NO! We're gonna be late if we take too long! Quick Roxas! To the shower!"_

"Stop bossing me around!" he grumps, moving sluggishly. He's never been a morning person.

_"Rox-asssss,"_ Sora whines. _"C'mon!"_ He pushes lightly against Roxas's control, making him stumble forward a bit. Roxas is annoyed; Sora has a stronger will than he does.

"I'm going," he snaps. Sora chuckles. "Go to sleep or something... You're so... annoying." The brunette laughs again.

_"I'm not annoying. I'm cute."_

"Says you."

_"Times a-wasting, Roxas! We gotta shower!"_

"Fine, fine!" He throws his hands up in aggravation and moves out of the room and down the hall towards the bathroom, only stopping once to realize that he'll be seeing Sora's naked body -- a thought he blocks off from Sora, not surprisingly. It's not that he hasn't seen Sora naked before -- he'd woken up once while Sora was in the shower -- but this would different. He would be _experiencing_ Sora naked. Washing his body for him and... He shivered a little. How very strange.

_"What's strange?"_ Sora asked, mentally cocking his head to the side.

"Nothing. Don't worry about it."

He hears Sora make a sound that could be a yawn. _"Okay... I'll see ya in a little. Showering is boring, and if I get to sleep in a little more..."_

_He must have fallen asleep,_ Roxas thinks, relieved, as he strips himself (Sora) bare.

Looking in the mirror speculatively, Roxas frowns. Sora is much darker than he is. And better built, despite Roxas's time with the Organization. His facial features are softer, however, and there is a small victory, until he remembers how many people love Sora. Roxas will always lose, there. He's only met two people for sure he knew loved him, and neither of them had hearts. And then -- he blushes a little, flustered -- then there's Sora. Sora said he loved him. So he has three people -- if you ignored the fact that two of them were dead.

He touches a hand to Sora's chest, glaring at his reflection half-heartedly. "What the hell is love, anyway?" He figures Sora should know the answer, only Sora is asleep, so he sighs and turns the spout before stepping into the warm water.

He's paranoid all through breakfast, as Sora's mother -- oddly perceptive woman -- stares at him speculatively.

"Sora, you seem... _different_ today," she comments.

Roxas blinks, continuing to chew sloppily. He hadn't even thought about how Sora might eat. Is he really tidy? How odd. He puts down his fork. "I'm sorry. It's just so... good." He gives her a smile. "I missed your cooking."

She smiles, then, too. "I missed _you_, you silly boy. Now hurry up. Riku and Kairi will be here shortly."

"Okay, Mom."

She beams and nods. "Have a nice day at school, Sora."

"... Thank you."

Roxas wanders back upstairs and then leans on the window sill, so he can see when they're coming.

They arrive not shortly after, and though he is not surprised, he is a little annoyed to see Riku look up at him immediately, like he's caught a strange scent. Roxas glares a little before he remembers himself. All the same, he's not really sure how to react to his Other's friends.

Sora, however, fixes the problem, taking control for a brief moment, pushing the window open and leaning out. "Kairi! Riku!" he chirps, waving frantically. "Good morning!"

Kairi laughs sweetly and Riku looks confused for a second before smiling. Roxas can tell it's half-hearted.

_"Jump out the window."_

"What?" he asks, just to make sure he heard Sora right.

_"Jump out the window!"_ Sora repeats, a grin in his voice.

"I thought that's what you said," Roxas sighs, looking down. It's not too far down, but still...

_"If you take too long, they're gonna wonder,"_ Sora reminds him. _"Don't forget my bag."_

"I won't," the blonde grumbles, slinging the ugly bright blue and orange thing over his shoulder. "Stop being such a..."

_"Mother hen," _Sora supplies. _"Come on! Let's go!"_

Roxas takes a second look. "You know you live on the second story, right?"

_"Yeah, of course! I do it all the time, it's not bad at all! Besides, it's way safer than anything else I've ever done."_

Roxas can't argue with him there, and he leaps out the window, landing gracefully -- almost too gracefully. Riku is staring at him again, way too speculative. The blonde sighs internally. It's going to be a long day.

And... there you go. But, now it'll be normal updates from now on. God, and Roxas _hates_ Riku. This'll be fun, I've already got ideas....

See ya soon!


	5. Chapter 5

Glory be and the saints be praised! By golly, she's updated! Well, I finally got around to finishing, no matter how tentative I am about it. I'm sorry!!! I have/had about a thousand different ideas pooling up like a flood in my head and my brain was drowning. But... it's up... right? So that's what matters! I hope you enjoy the new chapter!!!

(disclaimer applies for all chapters forever)

Conversation is a little awkward, though it becomes much easier with Sora whispering (shouting, rather) in Roxas's mind. It gets better when they get to school -- Sora doesn't have to sit next to Riku, and Kairi is up front.

Sora keeps yawning and chattering to him, clearly not paying attention.

_"Shut up,"_ he tells Sora internally. _"Don't push it."_ Don't push my boundaries. _"I still hate you."_

Sora sighs. _"I know. I'm sorry."_

Tiny bits of guilt stab at him, and Roxas beats them back with a metaphorical stick. Whatever happened to having no feelings?

Sora's quiet, then, and that's okay, because he really does want to learn. Half of what they're talking about makes no sense, though that's not surprising. Roxas has never actually gone to school before, so it's quite exciting for him. He _did_, he recalls, get seriously tutored in the library of the Castle That Never Was, by none other than Zexion himself, and that's close enough, if not better... right?

_"The only school I remember is an independent summer project,"_ Roxas thinks sadly, flashes of Hayner, Pence, and Olette appearing in his mind.

_"They're still there,"_ Sora murmurs to him. _"They're still in Twilight Town."_

Roxas shakes his head a little. _"They're not the ones I remember. And they won't remember me."_

Sora is quiet a moment longer. _"Yeah... Yeah, I guess you're right. I'm sorry."_

_"Shut up, Sora,"_ Roxas thinks bitterly. _"It's not important. It doesn't matter."_

_"It's important to you."_

There's a pang again. He really wishes Sora would just shut up.

On the way to the lunch room, he starts to fidget a little. He'll have to sit with Riku and Kairi, and that's not something he's looking forward to. But, all the same, he has no choice. So he stomps across the cafeteria, jaw set.

Roxas slides into the spot that faces the window and the ocean.

Riku sits across from him and pulls Kairi down beside him before she can even think about it.

Roxas looks into her soft eyes and smiles before looking away again; she'll notice right away he's not Sora.

Tidus and Wakka go jogging by with a blitz ball, heading toward Destiny High's courtyard. Roxas almost wants to follow.

_"It's fine if you do,"_ Sora whispers. _"I'm not great, but I bet you'll be better."_

_"No, it's... okay,"_ Roxas says with the shake of his head. _"I don't want to get involved."_

His hands flex and then clench on their own volition. _"If you say so."_

Roxas sighs and looks down at the tray in front of him, but he isn't hungry. The longer he spends as Sora, the more he wants to sleep.

"Sora?" Kairi calls, and Roxas's head snaps up, gazing at her worried expression. "Are you okay?"

Roxas shakes his head slowly. "I... No. No, I'm not."

Riku's eyes narrow.

"What's wrong?" Kairi murmurs, reaching out and touching his hand gently.

He doesn't recoil from the touch, and sighs again, shaking his head. "Nothing. I just... couldn't sleep."

"Nightmare?" Riku asks, voice softening. He seems genuinely concerned this time, like he's seeing him as Sora.

"Yeah, it was..." Roxas clears his throat. "It was about That Night." He feels a warm sensation in his chest and gets the strange idea that Sora is giving him some kind of hug.

Kairi frowns sadly and nods. "I'm sorry."

"Roxas was there, wasn't he?" Riku demands suddenly, once again turning hostile. "That's where he lives, right? In you _dreams_."

Roxas can't help it; his lip curls. Still, he fights to contain himself, holding Sora down, knowing that it is safer with him in control.

"Riku," Kairi chides the silverette, a furrow growing in her brow. "Don't harass Sora. He's your best friend."

"Yeah, Riku," Roxas says as lightly as he can, hoping it matches Sora's bright tone. "What's wrong?"

Riku glares. "You're not Sora," he hisses. "Kairi, that's not Sora!"

Roxas blinks. _"Fuck."_ But he can't let Riku know he's won. "What are you talking about, Riku?"

"You're not Sora. Roxas, give Sora his body back."

Kairi's eyes widen.

"I'm not taking over," Roxas whispers, fighting to keep calm.

"Bullshit!" Riku pushes himself up, eyes burning.

Roxas can admit he feels the same. He's always hated Riku. He always will. He pushes Sora as far down as he can; his Somebody does not need to interrupt, he can handle the situation himself.

"Riku, please," Kairi whispers, tugging on her friend's shirt.

"I didn't take it from him," Roxas insists. "He let me take control. I swear, Riku."

Riku doesn't seem to like the sound of that. He growls, and Roxas glares.

"Why can't you just trust your own friend?" he taunts, lips curving into a vicious smirk that he just can't stop and reminds him too much of his past as a heartless Nobody.

That's enough for Riku. He practically snarls, reaching out and grabbing the front of Roxas' uniform. "I've had enough of you, Nobody." He pulls his arm back, hand in a fist, and Roxas tenses.

_Fuck._

Short but certainly not the end! Oh noooo! What will happen? Will he hurt poor Roxas? Well, tune in find out!


	6. Chapter 6

**Ah, finally! An update! I was able to escape the drowning that is side projects I have no time for and post a new chapter!**

**I feel kind of... ehh about it, and it's probably not that important... I feel like I may have liked it more while I was writing it. But all the same, some of you have been patiently waiting, so here you go! (Thanks to all reviewers... I don't say that enough. But thank you soooooo soooo much!!)**

**(I actually just realized recently that the perspective changed and it upset me, so I had to go back and fix it. Damn... How did I overlook that? haha....)**

Disclaimer: Do I really need one at this point? Really?

Suddenly, Roxas's demeanor changes into something Riku is more familiar with. His back is still stiff, his eyebrows still furrowed, but his hands go up and land on his hips. "Riku!" he snaps. "Don't you _dare_hurt Roxas!"

Riku automatically lowers his fist, eyebrows raising in surprise. "Sora?"

Sora crosses his arms, nodding. "Seriously, Riku! What were you thinking?" Riku opens his mouth, but Sora continues, "I'm sick of it! Stop treating him like this!"

"Stop treating him like he's real." It slips out of his mouth before he can really think about it. Shit.

Sora's eyes go huge, and a terrifyingly hurt expression comes over his face. "He is real!"

"Sora, I didn't mean it, I just meant --"

"He's real, Riku," Sora insists.

"No he's not!" Riku snaps, and then wishes he could take it back. "No, Sora, I didn't--" But Sora is already glaring at him. "I only meant... Sora, don't you think it's strange, at all?"

Sora narrows his eyes nervously, because Kairi's looking away as if embarrassed. "Whaddya mean?"

"Naminé's already merged with Kairi, and they're one, like they should be. Naminé can't surface as often, and I think that by letting Roxas, you're giving him the chance to take over."

Sora looks over at Kairi, bewildered.

_"Glad she's gone,"_Roxas mumbles bitterly. Sora ignores that.

"Roxas wouldn't do that," he says quietly.

"You don't really believe that. He _hates_you, Sora."

"That's none of your business!" Roxas snaps.

"See? He doesn't even deny it." Riku wants Sora to understand, but he doesn't know how.

"Roxas wouldn't do that," Sora repeats quietly. His eyes shine with the beginnings of tears, and Riku swears softly; if there is one thing he cannot stand, it's seeing Sora cry.

"Sora --" Riku tries, albeit weakly.

But Sora's gone as quickly as he appeared. Roxas's sneer returns, and he pushes Riku back. "Back off, Riku." He makes his voice as calm as can, and resolute.

Riku grits his teeth, but Kairi grabs his arm. "Riku, don't!"

The silverette's nostrils flare, but he just glares. "If you try anything with Sora..."

"What are you gonna do?" Roxas spits bitterly.

_"Roxas, stop!"_Sora barks, dragging Roxas back with force. It's _his_body, dammit, and he will do what he wants. He shudders -- all this switching makes his chest and stomach hurt. Roxas is upset and it's stressing him out. This was supposed to be _easy_. Riku was supposed to accept Roxas and they would all get along and it would all be better.

_"Sora, you idiot,"_Roxas scoffs in his head. _"You're so... naive."_ It's painful for both of them.

"Sora, maybe you shouldn't let Roxas take control just yet," Riku says, trying a gentler approach. He gets the feeling that he scared Sora before, and he doesn't want to do that, not after everything they've been through.

"I trust him," Sora whispers.

The look Riku gives him was sad. "Do you trust him, or do you want him to trust you?"

Riku's words reverberate and strike a chord. Sora's eyes widen a little and his mouth goes dry. "Wh-what? I..."

"Sora, like it or not, Roxas was -- maybe still is -- a Nobody. He isn't completely light. Just..." Riku gulps. "Just like I wasn't for all that time. He's part of the darkness, and maybe he always will be..."

Sora flashes back to the bathroom and puking for weeks and constant stomach pain and _revolting_ darkness inking his innards, haunting his dreams. He thinks of crying out and being ignored and of the anger. The constant, _constant_ anger.

And so all he can do is whisper out a gruff, "Yeah."

Roxas reacts immediately, but this time, Sora doesn't resist because he _did_ promise.

"You know what?" Roxas snarls. He looks around -- people are _really_starting to look their way. "Fuck this." And he storms toward the cafeteria doors. He only wishes he could leave Sora behind.

"Sora!" Kairi calls, partially for show, partially because she can't very well call _Roxas's_ name across the room.

Riku doesn't follow, though his jaw clenches bitterly.

Roxas pushes the doors open with force, his (Sora's) entire body shaking. He is angry. So, _so_ angry. He will _not_ go back in there, he will _not_.

_"Roxas?" _Sora calls apprehensively.

He's not darkness, he is not covered in darkness... He squeezes his eyes shut tight at the prickling sensation. He isn't going to cry.

_"Roxas?" _Sora tries again.

Without warning, his stomach wrenches and Sora is suddenly the dominant one. His entire body burns fiercely, and his eyes sting, but he touches his aching chest instead.

"Roxas?"

But Roxas doesn't want to talk anymore. It's like it had been all those weeks ago.

Sora collapses on the grass and tugs up clump-fulls. He's so tired.

The bell clangs.

"I should go to class," he tells himself sadly. But he doesn't really want to, so he lays there and stares up at the sky. It isn't exactly a nice day, but since it almost _never_ rains in Destiny Islands and is hardly ever cloudy, it isn't so bad.

"Roxas?" he calls again. "Do you hate me?" But he knows the answer to that question.

Still, no response.

Sora kind of wishes Roxas would at least say yes.

He thinks again of going back. Of facing everyone, head hanging in embarrassment, no late pass, and changes his mind. He's never skipped by himself, but it can't be _that_ bad. He wants to sleep, but fears his dreams.

"Hey Roxas?" he asks the empty air, even though he knows how angry the blonde is. "Do you think I'll ever see Donald and Goofy again? I mean, I got that letter the other week, but since then? Nothing. Do you think they've already forgotten?"

Of course, no response.

His eyelids droop and he thinks about how there's no need for a Keyblade bearer here. How different his life is now. How different it might always be.

Life will never be what it was, and he realizes he might never be happy.

He's saved the worlds from Heartless... He thought he had saved it from Nobodies...

"Hey Rox?" He knows by now that Roxas won't respond. "Where do you think Nobodies go when they die?"

He can feel Roxas react to this -- it's not a good feeling, but it is nice to know he's listening.

"Because ya know... I've been thinking about it. I feel like they should have gotten their hearts." He lowers his voice. "What I did was wrong, Roxas. I know that now. After Axel..." He chokes slightly. "After everything... I understand. I'm sorry."

Still no answer, but the pit of his stomach starts to coil.

"I'm stupid," Sora concludes. "Maybe not as stupid as Tidus. But I'm stupid." He feels like crying, but doesn't know why.

He tucks his arms behind his head and starts to make shapes in the clouds. "How many worlds do you think there are? A thousand? A million? I wanna see more," he confesses. "I know... things are supposed to be fine now... Happy ending, right? But.. I feel useless here, with a Keyblade I never get to use. I don't like fighting Heartless." He wrinkles his nose. "Not at all. But what about other worlds? Will the Heartless take over them? Is there another Keyblade master somewhere else? To protect them?" He sighs. "I miss my friends."

His chest aches.

"I have Riku and Kairi. And Tidus, and Wakka, and Selphie... But what about Leon? And Yuffie? Are they okay? Do they miss me as much as I miss them?"

Of course... No answer.

He lolls his head to the side and refocuses his eyes to look at his arms. Sun-tanned arms. The arms of an islander. Sinewy, but he's grown since his first adventure. And his tan arms are covered in almost indistinguishable, pale scratches. Scars. From fighting Heartless after relentless Heartless. From all the times he's fallen and rolled and been hurt...

"Sometimes they hurt," he tells Roxas. "Not usually, but sometimes.."

Roxas is being stubborn.

"Sometimes it rains, and it... it aches." He laughs. "Like an old person, right?" But it isn't really that funny to him. "Hey Roxas?"

Really, why is he trying?

"I know you miss... them... What would you do if they could... separate us?"

Silence.

"Roxas, please. Please answer."

Silence. Empty, reverberating silence.

End scene.

(Finally fixed. Yay.)

Well, that should hold off the wolves for a little while longer. I swear, I'm slaving away as we speak. I hope you enjoyed it, I really do!! See you soon! (Augh, that D


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